Road markers



July 30, 1963 s, KNAPP 3,099,244

ROAD MARKERS Filed Feb. 16, 1962 IN VEN TOR. RALPH 5. KHAPP Mf-M United States Patent 3,099,244 ROAD MARKERS Ralph S. Knapp, Port Washington, Wis., assign'or to Tri- Tix, Ind, Port Washington, Wis., a corporation of Illinois Filed Feb. 16, 1962, Ser. No. 173,779 3 Claims. (Cl. 116--63) This invention relates to improvements in road markers, and more particularly to a cone-like marker of the type placed on the ground around road obstructions to mark the same for motorists and others.

Heretofore, conical road markers of the type described have been made in one piece, with integral cone and base portions. It has been found that such one-piece markers are not entirely satisfactory, however, for several reasons. For one thing, when such markers are made of fluorescent plastic material, as is desirable, it is a needless expense to have the base portion formed of the same relatively expensive material, since the base is merely intended as a support for the upright cone portion. Moreover, with conventional, one-piece conical markers the integral base is too light in weight to prevent the marker from being blown over, or otherwise inadvertently displaced, and there is no simple, practical way of adding weight to such conventional markers. With these considerations in mind, the principal objects of the present invention are to pro vide a novel road marker wherein the cone :and base portions are separately made, thus permitting the use of relatively inexpensive, non-fluorescent material for said base member, and wherein said base may be so designed that weight can be easily and inexpensively added thereto if it is desired to increase the stability of the marker.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel road marker as described, wherein the cone and base portions thereof are securely united when in use, but wherein said members may be readily separated to permit their more efiicient storage or shipment.

Still further objects of the present invention are to provide an improved road marker which is rugged and durable, and which is otherwise especially well suited for its intended uses.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention comprises the improved road marker, and all of its parts and combinations, as set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein the same reference numerals designate the same parts in all of the views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved road marker in its assembled condition;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view, showing the separable cone and base members;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view, parts thereof being broken away and shown in section, and showing, in broken lines, the cone being assembled in the base member; and

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the assembled marker.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 14} designates the cone-shaped upper portion of the improved road marker comprising the present invention'. Said cone ordinarily stands about -18 inches in height, although the size of the same is not critical to the novel construction constituting the present invention, and is preferably of a bright fluorescent color to increase the visibility of the marker. In accordance with the present invention said cone is molded of :a flexible but durable plastic, or similar material such as rubber, and the lower portion thereof is enlarged to provide an annular shoulder 12 (FIGS. 2 and 3).

The separable base member 14 characterizing the present invention is tapered toward its upper surface, to increase its stability, and is hexagonal in form. In the latter respect, however, said base could as well be of various other shapes or configurations, and the invention is not to be limited to a unit having a hexagonallyshaped base member. A plurality of small, depending feet 22 are preferably provided on the bottom of said base to facilitate the positioning of the same on uneven ground. In accordance with the invention the base 14 is molded of a plastic or other material which is considerably less expensive than the fluorescent material from which the cone 10 is formed, and said base is relatively rigid in comparison to said flexible cone. In addition to permitting the use of cheaper material, it has been found that by forming the base and cone members separately the molding process is simplified and rendered less expensive.

As best appears in FIG. 3, extending completely through the base 14 is a bore or opening 17 which is designed to conform in size and taper to the enlarged lower portion of the cone 10. An annular, internal flange 16 projects into said base opening 17 adjacent the top: thereof, and projecting radially into the lower end of said opening is shoulder-forming means such as a plurality of circumferentially-sp-aced lugs 18 having shoulders 18' (FIG. 3). As is shown in FIG. 3, in the preferred form of the invention said base 14 has a hollow interior, or cavity 20*, and one or more openings 24 are suitable removable plug 25- (FIG. 1) for said opening. 7 The base may, however, be made of solid material.

As hereinabove mentioned, the base and cone portions of the present marker are molded or otherwise formed as separate units, to permit the use of relatively inexpensive material in said base, and to permit use of the relatively expensive fluorescent paint on the cone only when such paint is to be employed. When it is desired to use the marker for its intended purpose said cone and base members must of course be assembled into a unitary structure. To assemble said members, and as is illustrated in broken lines in FIG. 3, the cone 10 is inserted into and drawn upwardly through the base opening 17. The upward movement of said cone is continued untilthe annular shoulder 12 thereon abuts against the underside of the base flange 16, and the lower portion of said flexible cone is simultaneously snapped past and seated on the relatively rigid shoulders ls', which in the preferred embodiment are formed by the lugs 18, thus preventing movement of said cone in either direction. The result is a quick and easy assembly procedure which results in a strong, reliable connection.

When the marker is not in use it may be readily disassembled merely by deflecting the lower portion of the flexible cone inwardly so that the same will be unseated from the shoulders 18, and said cone can then be withdrawn through the lower end of the base. For efficient storage or shipment a number of said disassembled cones 10 may be mounted on each other in telescoping relation, and the relatively small base members 14 arranged together in compact form, or said markers maybe stored in telescoped assembled condition.

Another important feature of the novel road marker comprising the preferred embodiment of the present invention is that weight can be easily and inexpensively added to the base member 14 to increase the stability of the unit. To accomplish this end, the plug 25 is removed from the opening 24 in the top of said base, and sand, water, or any other inexpensive, relatively heavy material poured into the base cavity 20, thus greatly increasing the weight of the marker and minimizing the possibility of the same being blown over or otherwise inadvertently displaced. The result is a novel method of adding weight to the marker which is simple, inexpensive, and effective.

plastic, rubber, or other material.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the novel structure comp-rising the present invention has several advantages over conventional road markers. With the present device, wherein the cone and base portions are molded as separate units, a relatively inexpensive, non-fluorescent material can be used for the base member, thereby substantially reducing the manufacturing cost. Also, with the present invention it one part gets damaged in use it may be replaced without replacing the entire assembly. Further, the separable nature of the cone and base members permits the same to be compactly arranged for efficient storage or shipment. Moreover, and in contrast to conventional road markers, the present unit is so designed that sand or similar inexpensive material can be easily added thereto to increase its weight and stability.

It is to be understood, of course, that various changes and modifications may be made in the novel road marker hereinabove described, and all of such changes or modifications are contemplated as may come within the scope of the following claims. 1

What I claim is:

l. A road marker, comprising: a base member formed of a relatively rigid material, said base having an upwardly-tapered opening therethrough; an annular flange.

formed on said base member and projecting radially into the upper portion of said base member opening; shoulderforming means on said base member projecting radially into the lower portion of said opening; and tan upwardlytapered conical member mounted in and projecting upwardly from said base member, said conical member being formed of a relatively flexible material, and said conical member having an enlarged lower portion forming an annular shoulder spaced from the lower edge thereof and which enlarged lower portion is of a size and taper to fit closely within said base member opening, the flexible nature of said conical member permitting the temporary deflection of saidlower portion whereby the same may be forced upwardly past and seated on said base member shoulder-forming means while the annular shoulder on said conical member abuts the inwardly-projectingbase member flange, thus removably securing said, conical member within said base. I

2. A road marker, comprising: a base member molded of .a relatively rigid material, said base having an up' wardly-tapered opening therethrough, having an annular interior cavity, and said base having an aperture therein providing communication between said cavity and the exterior;a plug in said base aperture, said plug being rewith material; an annular flange formed on said base member and projecting radially into the upper portion of said base member tapered opening; shoulder-forming means on said base member projecting radially into the lower portion of said base member opening; and an upwardly-tapered conical member separably mounted in and projecting upwardly from said base member, said conical member being formed of a relatively flexible material, and said conical member having an enlarged lower portion forming an annular shoulder spaced from the lower edge thereof and which enlarged lower portion is of a size and taper to fit closely within said base member opening, the flexible nature of said conical member permitting the temporary deflection of said lower portion whereby the same may be forced upwardly past and seated on said base member shoulder-forming means while the annular shoulder on said conical member abuts the inwardlyprojecting base member flange, thus removably securing said conical member within said base.

3. A road marker, comprising: a base member molded of a relatively rigid material, said base having an upwardly-tapered opening therethrough, having an annular interior cavity, and said base having an aperture therein providing communication between said cavity and the exterior; a plug in said base aperture, said plug being removable to permit the filling of said base membercavity with material; an annular flange formed on said base member and projecting radially into the upper portion of said Lbasernember tapered opening; a plurality of circumferentially-spaced lugs formed-on said base member .and

' projecting radially into the lower portion of said base member opening; and an upwardly-tapered conical member ,separably mounted in and projecting upwardly from said base member, said conical member being molded of a relatively flexible, fluorescent-colored material, and said conical member having an enlargedlower portion forming an annular shoulder spaced from the lower edge thereof and which enlarged lower portion is of a size and taper to fit closely within said base member tapered opening, the flexible nature of said conicalxmember permitting the temporary deflection of said lower portion whereby the same may be forced upwardly past and seated on said base movable to permit the filling of said base member cavity member lugs while the annular shoulder on said conical member abuts the inwardlyprojecting base member flange, thusremovably securing the enlarged lower portion of said conical member within said base.

References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,561,016 Ford et a1. July 17, 1951 2,957,444 Boettler Oct. 25, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 281,360 Switzerland June 3, 1952 

1. A ROAD MARKER, COMPRISING: A BASE MEMBER FORMED OF A RELATIVELY RIGID MATERIAL, SAID BASE HAVING AN UPWARDLY-TAPERED OPENING THERETHROUGH; AND ANNULAR FLANGE FORMED ON SAID BASE MEMBER AND PROJECTING RADIALLY INTO THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID BASE MEMBER OPENING; SHOULDERFORMING MEANS ON SAID BASE MEMBER PROJECTING RADIALLY INTO THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID OPENING; AND AN UPWARDLYTAPERED CONICAL MEMBER MOUNTED IN AND PROJECTING UPWARDLY FROM SAID BASE MEMBER, SAID CONICAL MEMBER BEING FORMED OF A RELATIVELY FLEXIBLE MATERIAL, AND SAID CONICAL MEMBER HAVING AN ENLARGED LOWER PORTION FORMING AN ANNULAR SHOULDER SPACED FROM THE LOWER EDGE THEREOF AND WHICH ENLARGED LOWER PORTION IS OF A SIZE AND TAPER TO FIT CLOSELY WITHIN SAID BASE MEMBER OPENING, THE FLEXIBLE NATURE OF SAID CONICAL MEMBER PERMITTING THE TEMPERATORY DEFLECTION OF SAID LOWER PORTION WHEREBY THE SAME MAY BE FORCED UPWARDLY PAST AND SEATED ON SAID BASE MEMBER SHOULDER-FORMING MEANS WHILE THE ANNULAR SHOULDER ON SAID CONICAL MEMBER ABUTS THE INWARDLY-PROJECTING BASE MEMBER FLANGE, THUS REMOVABLY SECURING SAID CONICAL MEMBER WITHIN SAID BASE. 